Apple Says Battery Drain from iOS 26 Update Is Normal
Apple has addressed concerns from iPhone users who say their batteries are draining more quickly after installing iOS 26. According to the company, this issue is to be expected—especially following a major software update.
What Apple Says
A newly published Apple support document explains that after installing a major release (such as iOS 26.0), it’s normal for iPhones to temporarily show reduced battery life and higher operating temperature.
The changes are largely due to background processes that run after the update, tasks like indexing files for search, downloading new assets, and updating apps.
Potential Longer-Term Effects
Aside from the initial post-update adjustment, Apple notes that some of the newly introduced features may demand more resources from the hardware. For users who make heavy use of such features, there could be a small ongoing impact on battery life and performance.
What Users Can Do / Expect
Users observing reduced battery life immediately after upgrading should wait a few days for the system to settle down. Once background tasks finish, battery performance is likely to improve.
Those who use the newer or more intense features introduced in iOS 26 may continue to see some battery and thermal effects, depending on how they use their device.